Category: kifi-local-news

Linda Larsen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Two dedicated law enforcement officers from the Idaho Falls area received awards from the Idaho Attorney General for their work protecting children from online exploitation. Detective Jared Mendenhall of the Idaho Falls Police Department and Detective Korey Payne of the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office were honored for their outstanding work with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. (ICAC)

During the ceremony, Attorney General Raúl Labrador spoke about the collaborative and tireless efforts of the two detectives and how their work is saving children from abuse and exploitation.

Mendenhall and Payne have solved over 100 cases, leading to the identification, arrest, and prosecution of online predators.

“It’s not an easy job to do, for sure. But, I think having the support of everybody and having a dog with us, and having the backing of our agency, really does help our mental health aspect of it, because that’s a huge portion and it’s been really helpful. It’s honestly the best job I ever had,” Payne said.

While representing different departments–IFPD and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office–their joint commitment to the ICAC mission has led to a significant number of arrests and the protection of vulnerable youth across the state, nation, and even globally.

“I have to thank the Idaho Falls Police Department and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, like my desk where I sit, where I work, where the environment that that these agencies have put me in. If I have an ICAC question, all I have to do is spin around,” Mendenhall said.

The awards serve as recognition for their profound impact in making the internet a safer place for our children.

“You can see their commitment to this cause I think they feel like this is their mission. And I think when when you have a good person who feels inspired that there’s their mission in life, that they’re saving children, they’re saving society, they’re protecting our community. You see it in the work that they do actions, and you can hear it in the words and their enthusiasm for it,” Labrador said.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — As holiday decorations go up across the country, fire officials are urging families to take extra precautions with Christmas trees, warning that a dry tree combined with faulty lights can turn a living room into a dangerous blaze in minutes.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, “Between 2018 and 2022, fire departments in the United States responded to an annual average of 155 home structure fires caused by Christmas trees. On average, these fires resulted in four civilian deaths, seven civilian injuries, and $15 million in direct property damage each year.”

Christmas tree fires happen due to lighting and electrical equipment, and according to the NFPA’s research:

Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in more than two in five (41 percent) home Christmas tree fires.

One in five (20 percent) home Christmas tree fires were started by lamps or bulbs. 

More than one in 10 (11 percent) home Christmas tree fires were started by candles.

Two in five (40 percent) home Christmas tree fires started in the living room.

Local firefighters are urging Idahoans to make safety central to their holiday traditions. The Idaho Falls Fire Department has provided the following helpful tips and guidelines for keeping your Christmas from becoming too warm and bright.

Placement and Setup

Keep trees at least 3 feet away from heat sources, including fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles, and heat vents.

Place the tree in a sturdy stand on a non-flammable surface and keep it clear of exits, stairs and high-traffic areas.

“The biggest mistakes they make when setting up a tree, they put a too close to a [fire source] So again, they put it next to a fireplace. they put it next to a heater vent, they put it next to a radiator, electric heater, something that can then, dry out the tree and cause it to become more flammable. They put it in an exit path,” Jim Newton, Idaho Falls Fire Marshall, said.

Watering and Maintenance

Water your tree daily and use a stand with a water reservoir. Many trees consume up to a gallon of water per day.

Before placing the tree in the stand, trim 1 to 2 inches off the trunk base to improve water absorption.

Never drill holes in the trunk.

“You have a dry Christmas tree fire which can take over in about 30 seconds. And a wet Christmas tree can take substantially longer, up to five minutes before it becomes fully engulfed,” Newton said.

Lighting and Decorations

Only use lights certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

Inspect lights for frayed wires, cracked insulation or broken bulbs, and replace damaged sets immediately.

Avoid overloading circuits by connecting no more than three strands of lights per extension cord and plug lights directly into wall outlets whenever possible.

Keep decorations at least 12 inches from the tree to avoid contact with lights or branches.

Turn off tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.

In the event where your Christmas tree does catch fire, Newton recommends to evacuate the area immediately and call 911 immediately.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Tonight, Dec. 3rd, the 2025 Guns N’ Hoses hockey fundraiser hits the ice at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls, celebrating local first responders. The family-friendly fundraiser features youth hockey players who will suit up in police and firefighter-themed jerseys to honor our local first responders.

Tickets are available now for just $10 per person, and all proceeds directly benefit the Idaho Falls Youth Hockey Association and the Greater Idaho Falls Police Foundation. Doors open to the public tonight at 5:30 PM, with the official puck drop scheduled for 6:45 PM.

For more information or to purchase tickets, click HERE.

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Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Local law enforcement officers are kicking into high gear for a heartwarming holiday tradition. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is calling on the community to join in a holiday fundraiser luncheon today, December 3rd, to support their annual Shop With a Cop event.

Happening today, from 11:30 AM to 1 PM, the Outback Steakhouse on Lindsay Blvd in Idaho Falls is hosting a special Build-Your-Own-Burger Bar. Each meal is $15, with all proceeds going directly to funding the local Shop With a Cop program.

The heartwarming tradition pairs local police and Sheriff’s deputies with children, ages 5 to 12, who could benefit from a positive experience with law enforcement. The goal of the program is to build or improve a positive relationship, as each child and officer spend the morning Christmas shopping for the child’s immediate family.

The main event kicks off this Saturday, December 6th, beginning at 7 AM at the Eagle’s Lodge on Hemmert Ave in Idaho Falls. At 8 AM, the children and officers will participate in a special parade of cop cars before heading to Target to begin their shopping trip.

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Megan Lavin

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) —  Mark Lach, Titanic explorer and the exhibition’s Creative Producer, visited live in studio to show us two of the Titanic’s artifacts.

We also learned the tragic story about a family who were on their way to Idaho.

Mike has first-hand experience visiting the wreck site in a submersible and shares what you can expect at the exhibit.

You can find more information and tickets for the Salt Lake exhibition at their website: https://thetitanicexhibition.com/salt-lake-city/

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Curtis Jackson

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Voters have chosen Mark Dahlquist as the next mayor of Pocatello on Tuesday night.

Dahlquist won with 7,238 votes, or 62%, over Greg Cates 4,424 votes, or 38%.

In the November 4th election, Mark Dahlquist also led the field, cruising to a first-place finish with 5,135 votes. Not far behind, Greg Cates secured the second spot with 3,938 votes.

“I’m so humbled for people for their support and their trust and confidence with me,” Dahlquist said Tuesday night at a watch party held at the Portneuf Valley Brewery. “I think the mayor’s position, there is no higher way or no higher form to serve your city. It’s a big responsibility, but I’m so excited.”

“They (voters) wanted a new direction. They wanted to hit the reset button,” Dahlquist said. “I’ve got a lot of work to do and a lot of people have spoken with me and they’ve got good solid platforms or ways I want to move, so I’m ready to roll up my sleeves. I’m ready to give this my all.”

Cates held a watch party at the Purpose Building in Downtown Pocatello.

“This has been a great experience regardless of the outcome. I met a lot of people, and I’ve learned a lot about myself as a person,” Cates said before knowing what the final results were.

Dahlquist will be replacing the outgoing mayor, Brian Blad. Blad came in third during the November 4th election.

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Curtis Jackson

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Lisa Burtenshaws won the runoff election for Idaho Falls mayor.

The unofficial results show Burtenshaw received 6,435 votes, or 53.1%, of the votes over Jeff Alldridge 5,663 votes, or 46.8%.

That’s a change from the November 4th election where Jeff Alldridge took a narrow lead with 5,599 votes, while Lisa Burtenshaw secured 5,537 votes.

“I’m excited to get to work,” Burtenshaw told Local News 8 after learning of her win. “I have listened to people along the campaign trail, and I know we have work to do with the community. I’m excited because we have great city employees. We have great directors in the city, and I know that we can. Accomplish the things that the community is asking us to do,” Burternshaw said.

In the Idaho Falls City Council race for Seat 2, Brandon Lee took 59.5% of the vote over Teresa Dominick’s 40.5%

12,107 ballots were cast on Tuesday compared to 11, 868 ballots cast in the November 4th election.

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News Team

ORIGINAL:

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — Repairs are currently underway at the Shosone Bannock Jr./Sr. High School after the building’s heating system failed Tuesday night, Dec. 2nd. School will once again be closed Thursday, December 4, 2025.

UPDATE:

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — The Shosone Bannock Jr./Sr. High School will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, December 3, 2025, due to the building’s heating system not functioning properly.

School Administration announced the closure on Facebook Tuesday night, apologizing for the inconvenience. The post did not indicate the cause of the problem or how long the issue would take to repair.

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Seth Ratliff

UPDATE:

MALAD CITY, Idaho (KIFI) — Power is back on in Malad City today, Dec. 3rd, after thousands spent the night in the dark. Rocky Mountain Power says an equipment failure knocked out power yesterday afternoon, and it took until this morning to get everything back on track.

The outage hit as temperatures dropped below freezing and light snow moved through the area. Oneida County acted quickly by opening the fairgrounds event center for anyone who needed a warm place to sleep.

ORIGINAL:

MALAD CITY, Idaho (KIFI) —  3,100 people in Malad are currently without power, after an equipment failure early Tuesday afternoon. In a press release, Rocky Mountain Power said “crews are in the field working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible,” but the repairs will take some time. The outage is expected to last until early tomorrow morning, Wednesday, December 3rd.

The outage comes as the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures in Malad will drop to 21 °F overnight while scattered snow showers continue.

In winter power outages, the Idaho Office of Emergency Management directs Idahoans to keep blankets, jackets/sweaters, hand warmers, gloves, and hats ready to stay warm. The Office of Emergency Management website also advises residents to use a safe, portable heater and generators to keep their homes warm, but it’s important to use them safely to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other hazards

Rocky Mountain Power is encouraging customers in Malad to follow any directives from local public safety officials and check the Rocky Mountain Power outage map for updates and estimated restoration times. For more information, click HERE.

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News Release

The following is a news release from Idaho Fish and Game:

CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho — Beginning in early December, Idaho Fish and Game staff will take to the air to get a closer look at deer numbers, including several low-level helicopter surveys planned in the Salmon and Challis areas. The purpose is to gather abundance and herd composition information that helps game managers understand population numbers and trends.

The flights will be completed in big game management units 21, 21A, 29, 37, 37A, and are expected to take a week if the weather permits. 

“People may see and hear low-flying helicopters near Salmon and Challis in the coming week,” said Fish and Game Wildlife Biologist Bret Stansberry of Salmon.  “While we understand that folks are still recreating, we will do our best to temporarily avoid areas where we observe people.”

Care is taken to minimize disturbance to the animals and prevent the expenditure of valuable energy reserves.  Generally, the information collected can be gathered within a few minutes or less of an animal being spotted. 

This information, together with abundance monitoring, survival monitoring and hunter harvest information, will be used to determine the overall health of Idaho’s big game herds, which plays a critical role in determining future hunting seasons.

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